Towards Post-postmethodism: Embracing a New Generation of Methodism

Abstract

Postmethod is the offspring of language teaching methods failure in meeting their objectives, a failure which led to disillusionment with the concept of method. To solve this pedagogical challenge, postmethod stigmatized those taking the initiative to develop new methods as making a futile attempt. Therefore, it exerted a deterrent effect on the developmental trend of language teaching methods. All these measures were taken following postmethodism’s major precept: it is the concept of method which should be to blame. True, the concept of method, as grasped so far, is both “limited and limiting” (Kumaravadivelu, 2003, p. 1). But what if there is another possibility? What if future methods can surpass the boundaries of the past methods? By making an analogy between the developmental trend of assessment and that of language teaching methods and by referring to the potentials of Artificial Intelligence, especially those of intelligent computer assisted language learning (ICALL), this study attempts to provide compelling evidence about the inevitability of a methodism resurgence in the language teaching profession and the emergence of dynamic methods as a new generation of methodism.